Deadline is Monday to comment on EOBR proposal

Monday, May 23, marks the end of the public comment period on a proposed rule aimed at putting an electronic on-board recorder in heavy trucks.

Specifically, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration is seeking additional public comment on the potential for electric on-board recorders to be used as a harassment tool against drivers.

According to the FMCSA, the agency addressed the issue of EOBRs and the potential for harassment of drivers in its initial rulemaking filed last year targeting “bad actor” carriers. But since then, the agency has sought to expand the scope of an EOBR requirement to nearly all heavy trucks. FMCSA wants to make sure the latest proposal also addresses the possible harassment issue with EOBRs.

FMCSA issued its notice in the Federal Register on April 13, seeking additional comments on the harassment issue for its expanded EOBR proposal.

In FMCSA’s words, “The Agency believes it satisfactorily addressed the statutory requirement in both its EOBR rulemaking proceedings. In light of recent litigation challenging the Agency’s treatment of driver harassment in EOBR 1, however, FMCSA wishes to ensure that interested parties have a full opportunity to address this issue in the active EOBR 2 rulemaking.”

Directions for submitting comments are described in the notice. Be sure to include the docket number, which is FMCSA-2010-0167.